Often Irreverent, Mostly Rational Blog for Fans of the Toronto Blue Jays. One Day, We'll Be Perfect.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Self-fulfilling prophecy?

“Right now, it's kind of tough to see how we're going to get better before the end of the season”

These were the words of Cito Gaston earlier this week, just prior to the start of the Yankees series. Little did we know that The Cito planned on doing everything in his power to make good on his word.

Kevin Millar (.220-6 HR-27 RBI-.665 OPS) in the clean-up spot? That's a start. John McDonald, whose value lies entirely in his infield glovework, starting in left field - and batting eighth? Yeah, that'll do it.

Jeez. I am not here to pile on Cito. I swear that I'm not. I admire the man for what he has meant to the organization and what he's accomplished in the past. But these lineup decisions are indefensible. I'm not among the group calling for Cito's automatic dismissal, but I guess you could say that I am solidly in the corner of those that call "bullshit" on the free pass.

Yep, there's an argument to be made that the cupboards are bare of options. A pretty fucking solid argument, actually. But the team's best hitter, Adam Lind, started the game on the bench. His OPS against LHP? 810. Millar's? 743. So there's that. There's also the fact that there's no reason whatsoever that a team that has written off the season is starting a shit pile of veterans who have no shot at returning in 2010. Never mind manning the clean-up spot.

Holy Christ. My head is spinning, friends. It's gonna be a long September. Must....maintain......a shred....of optimism.

Cito's been pretty silly all year - just that the first 45 games they were doing well, so it showed less. Now that this team is doing way worse that you'd think it could with the players it has, it's hard to care about his silliness - but yeah, he sucks.

The only reason, well two possible reasons, is Cito has completely lost his mind or there are orders from above to tank. These line ups remind me of the NBA towards the end of the year when teams near the bottom play their young players to get experience-meaning better draft position...

So, with that shred of optimism, what are you optimistic about? This is a very difficult time to be optimistic or to give a shit. My last ditch, sour-grapes reason to watch was to see the Red Sox miss the post-season. That's still alive, but looking less and less likely.

I feel like I'm at a tractor pull and, for some long-forgotten reason, I am cheering for the Chevette. Is this what madness feels like?